Who doesn’t love a good veggie burger ? We at Nutrient Rich totally dig it. But since most the ones you find in the freezer section tend to be pretty flavorless, or loaded with salt and are not up to the nutrient rich eating standard, we decided to come up with this recipe that is bound to knock your veggie-burger-loving-socks off. This is a filling, healthy, nutrient rich veggie burger recipe totally perfect for anyone who loves barley and mushrooms.

1. Steam or boil the potatoes until fork-tender, 20 to 30 minutes or so. Drain the potatoes. Transfer to a plate and mash half of them with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, trim the stems from the mushrooms and discard. Scoop out the gills from the portobello and discard. Cut the cap into 1/2-inch chunks. Thinly slice the cremini and shiitake caps.

3. Heat 2 tablespoon water in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the portobello and 1 ½ tsp of thyme for 6 to 8 minutes, until the mushroom begins to soften and throw off its liquid. Add the creminis and shiitakes and cook for 10 minutes, until they’ve thrown off their moisture and all the liquid has completely evaporated.

4. Blend rest of the ingredients (cooked barley, onion powder and minced green pepper, 1/2 tsp of thyme) in a food processor until smooth and the consistency is that of a sticky dough.

5. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped or, if you prefer or you have no power, finely chop the mushroom mixture by hand. Dump the chopped mushroom mixture into a bowl and, using your hands, add half the mashed potato along with the barley blended mixture. If the mixture isn’t sticking together properly, mash the remaining potato and add it to the mixture, a little at a time, until everything begins to cling together.

6. Shape into 9 patties. (Wet your hands first to avoid sticking.)

7. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place on a nonstick baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes on each side. Then broil for 1 minute on each side, or until golden brown.